ATX VS Micro ATX Base Plates, how to decide on the ideal format for your PC

Baseful plates for your PC What to choose from?

At the time of Build your PC You have many factors that you should take into account, mainly the use you are going to give to your computer. For this you must choose properly Your graphics card and a Good chord processor that can with the tasks to which you are going to allocate it. Another factors that are gaining strength lately is The size of our PC, for this we will have to decide between a micro atx or atx motherboard.

Each time users prefer more Size reduced constructionbut without giving up main characteristics which offers you a bigger computer. We say the main ones because Obviously there are limitations in choosing a PC of small dimensions, with respect to one with a wide box that can house large components. Although the main advantage And the most evident It is the sizethere is Other factors that can also determine or even convince yourself to choose one or the other.

The Manufacturers also help To make this decision, putting it easier when choosing the most complicated option, than if we take the space as a main factor will be the microatx. For this Nvidia has launched A seal called SFFa seal that will not be necessary for the largest constructions, but that you must take into account If in the end you have decided on the smallest plaque along with a Nvidia graph. SFF are the acronym for Small for Factorwhere mid -range graphics cards of Team Green have a more content size They fit in smaller boxes.

Although SFF is a seal for personalized models of Nvidia, there are also reduced size options of other manufacturers such as AMD with their radeon or Intel With its arc. Also, too There are smaller platesfor example the mini -it.

But not everything summarizes a not too large graph, you must also take into account The height of the dissipator or from the pump head if you choose RL AIO, the height of the RAM, space for extra units, etc.

But we are going to focus on offer you the differences or inconveniences When choosing A plaqueextending beyond size of each one.

Differences and similarities between ATX VS Micro-Atx base plates

Let’s start by reviewing the concepts of both. ATX is because of its English abbreviation Advanced Technology Extendeda format that goes back nothing more and nothing less than a year 1995 And what was it developed by Intel. ATX not only refers to the motherboards, but also does Reference to boxes and power supplies. ATX specifications also determine a standard size of 305 x 244 mm or 12 x 9.6 inches.

The Microatx keep similarity with the ATX, since the former were built to be Compatible With the second. Thus, microatx base plates have a size of 244 x 244 mm or 9.6 x 9.6 inches. Thus, microatx reduce their height by keeping The same width and therefore it has been possible respect the same anchors that hold the motherboard to the ATX boxes.

Another of the differences between the ATX and Microatx plates, even one of the most outstanding, is the Number of PCI slots available To expand your PC with additional cards. The standard defines The ATX with 7 available, while The microatx They will carry a maximum of 4and what is usually reduced to 3 or even to 2.

Formerly it was important to have several PCI slots available to add certain ports or peripherals that allowed enlarge The functions of your computer. Today we basically have all this integrated In the motherboard, even the graphics are integrated into the CPU. At least one For a dedicated GPU and Another free For any other accessory or port we want to add.

Regarding deciding on Intel or AMD There is no problem, for both manufacturers and for their different sockets available, there are surely options in both formats. In either case you can resort to Our price comparatorwhere thanks to the Specific filters of each category, in the motherboards you can choose show only one or the othereven both and thus be able to compare between models equal With different size. Here you can compare the more than 700 ATX and Microatx plates in our comparator.

This is where the advantages or disadvantagesthat often resemble the similarities and differences between both formats. Let’s look at some when choosing a format of form or another.

Advantages and disadvantages between choosing ATX or Microatx

As we have mentioned above, the main advantage of the micro-Atx is the plate size. For this you will need a much smaller box, a box that can fit in more places as it usually occupies A much lower volume to the boxes for ATX plates. We can opt for smaller constructions Regarding the usual boxes that meet the ATX standard.

But this advantage also becomes a disadvantagealthough it is not the issue that concerns us is worth mentioning. No are Simple to find components that they think in a smaller box, especially if we look for them high or high -performance. In this aspect, the ATX has an advantage since when using a larger box we also have space for greater components.

One of the advantages ATX plates is the available space for subsequent extensions. As we have seen before the standard gives you a minimum of 7 slots Pcie available to insert cards, regarding 4 of the micro ATX. Today this does not usually mean a problem, since they are not usually used as much as a sound card, a network card, a dedicated GPU, etc. was often installed, etc. But if you have some specific need How to expand space through SSD M.2, you can connect several cards and with the ATX plate you will have more available space.

In the Matx You will have to adapt to those that we have seen even usual reduce them to 2 According to the model. Many times it is enough for a graphics card next to a backup slot for possible and future updates, even so, this offers a disadvantage at least with respect to the other major model.

Adding another advantage to larger plates, we have the variety. For plates with the largest standard of the two there are multitude of options available. Although all are the same size, manufacturers differentiate the models according to gaming, office, work, graphic design, etc.

The variety for smaller constructions is more limitedalthough manufacturers have each time more available models These are just part of those we can find in the other format. To this we can also add the variety within the different Chipset ranges available, if we look for a chipset of High range Either Intel or AMD Availability is even smaller when we opt for a Matx plate. Here we have to give the point of victory to the ATX.

Due to the available space we also find various limitations as to Construction possibilities of the PC. In addition to having less PCI slots, it is also usually usual to find Less space for ssd m.2 discs and even reduce 4 to 2 slots for RAM. In the ATX formats it is difficult to find plaques with only two memory slots, and the possibilities for SSD M.2 disk in the plate upload up to 4 or 5 slots.

In addition, this extra space also allows Add more connectors How can the SATAor the Internal USB that will allow using the front connections of the boxes, and feed other hardware devices that often resort to these connections. By having more space in an ATX system, better cooling and more fans can also be added if necessary, a smaller space in smaller constructions. Also for the CPU it can be a problem to add a large dissipator in boxes for Matx, although there are low profile options.

Another disadvantages of Matx is the ability to add More phases to a VRM system. The greater the amount of phases is possible provide more energy To the different components, this is ideal if we are going to install components of high -end and that usually have greater consumption. The surface of a larger plate allows a Better distribution of the VRM and thus improve the stability of the system.

But not everything was going to be disadvantages, a smaller plate along with a low profile graphics card and a small box, allow to install A PC system with many possibilities in your loungewithout occupying a lot of space. This will allow you to have a media server connected to a large screen that you can use for games, movies and series, navigate, etc. Its smaller size will go unnoticed, together with elegant aesthetic designs that you can find in terms of Micro ATX boxes It refers.

In addition, you can also install a Matx plate in an ATX box, on the contrary it will be impossible. If you already have your large box and your ideal plate has the smallest format, you can add to your box Without any problem.

A cheaper price With the Matx plates, these usually have a lower price than the usual ones with larger size. This is broadly speaking, since we surely find plates with A much greater cost that some atx, in this it has to do Chipset and benefits. But as a general rule, a smaller plate is cheaper than the largest motherboards.

So what type of motherboard I choose?

In short, if you have enough space, you plan to expand your PC in the future and you don’t care about the size of the box you can Enjoy an ATX construction. If on the contrary it prioritizes the space consumed and you do not mind reducing some benefits, a Matx construction is ideal.

Look for the ideal components, if you see that they can fit in a box with less size you can consider a smaller construction, if you have no choice but to choose ATX you already have the decision taken. But if your efforts are to reduce the necessary space for your PC, you can squeeze your search a little more, with the help of our price comparator, and look for smaller components that you think in your box. The search will be more complicated, but surely the result is worth it.